Stewed or poached fruits are delicious and a great way to use up surplus fruit if you have a big harvest or found good fruit on special. It can be used in a variety of dishes that you can eat at home or serve at a party. You can make basic stewed fruit, or add extra ingredients like ice cream.

Ingredients

Basic Stewed Fruit

500 grams of your choice of seasonal fruit

Caster sugar, to taste

Stewed Fruit with Brown Sugar and Vanilla

4 cups water

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

An 8-ounce package mixed dried fruit

4 orange slices

1 cinnamon stick

A 1/2-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Plain yogurt or sour cream

Cinnamon

Stewed Fruit Crumble

750 grams of seasonal fruit

Caster sugar, to taste

225 grams plain flour

110 grams butter

75 grams sugar

A pinch of sea salt

Steps

Method1

Making Basic Stewed Fruit

1

Prepare your fruits. To start making your stewed fruit, prepare all the fruits you're using. Remember to select a seasonal fruit so your stewed fruit will be as fresh and tasty as possible. If you don't have a kitchen scale, invest in one so you can measure out roughly 500 grams of your chosen fruit.[1]

Cut up all the fruit into bite sized pieces.

If you're using fruits with pits, like cherries, discard the pits while preparing the fruit.

2

Mix the fruit and sugar. Place your fruit in a large cooking pan. You should caster sugar in stirred fruit, which you may be able to find at a grocery store. If not, you can order online. As fruits vary greatly in sweetness, there is no precise amount to add. Taste small pieces of your fruit as you go along and add extra sugar as needed.[2]

Start by mixing in a small amount of sugar, like one to two teaspoons. After the sugar is equally dispersed in the fruit, taste your fruit.

If the fruit does not feel sweet enough, add an additional teaspoon at a time until your fruit reaches your desired level of sweetness.

3

Cook your fruit. Place your pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of water. Check the pan every few minutes as your fruit cooks. Once all the fruit is soft and tender to the touch, remove the pan from the heat.[3]

Times will vary greatly depending on the type of fruit. Tougher fruits tend to take longer to soften than more delicate fruits.

4

Remove the lid and let the liquid evaporate. Once your fruit is soft, remove the lid. Much of liquid surrounding the fruit will evaporate on its own. Allow the fruit to sit until it has a fairly thick consistency.[4]

You can use your stewed fruit on things like cereals, yogurts, pancakes, and granola.

Method2

Making Stewed Fruit with Ice Cream

1

Combine all the ingredients but yogurt and cinnamon. Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir the ingredients using a mixing spoon until they're all evenly mixed.[5]

2

Cook the ingredients. You should bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the fruits to soften, which should take about 20 minutes.[6]

Stir the fruits occasionally while they simmer.

3

Remove the fruits and boil the remaining liquid. Use a slotted spoon to transfer all the fruit to a glass bowl. Make sure to leave any liquids behind in the sauce pan. Once the liquids are transferred, boil the remaining liquid.[7]

Allow the liquid to evaporate as it boils. Keep boiling the liquids until only one cup remains.

4

Add the liquid to the fruit. Use a spoon to spoon out the liquid remaining in the sauce pan. Pour it over your fruit. Stir everything together so there's a smooth, even consistency.[8]

You should discard the orange slices at this point. You only need them to flavor your dish.

5

Serve with yogurt and cinnamon. You can serve your stewed fruit in small bowls. Garnish them with a dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle the yogurt with cinnamon.[9]

Method3

Making a Stewed Fruit Crumble

1

Prepare the fruit. Choose fruit that's in season for the best taste. Chop your fruits into bite size pieces. If there are any pits in your fruits, you should discard them as well. Also, make sure to remove stems and seeds.

2

Add the sugar. You should add sugar to taste. Place your fruit in a large pan and start by adding only one or two teaspoons of caster sugar to the fruit. Taste a piece of fruit after mixing the sugar in. If you feel more sugar is needed, add one teaspoon at a time until you get your desired level of sweetness.

Sweeter varieties of fruits will generally need less sugar.

3

Cook your fruit. Add two tablespoons of water to your pan and place your pan over medium heat. Cook the fruit until it's soft, with the lid on. Check on the fruit on occasion to stir and check whether it's soft enough.

Times vary greatly depending on the type of fruit. Tougher fruits will take longer to cook.

4

Divide the fruit evenly into four bowls. You should find four bowls that you can safely cook in an oven. Divide your dried fruit evenly between each bowl.

The bowls should be about the size of a ramekin.

5

Make your crumble. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, and salt. Use a pastry cuter or fork to mix the ingredients together. Keep mixing until you have a mixture that resembles bread crumbs.

6

Sprinkle the crumble over your fruit and bake it. Divide your crumble mixture evenly between your four bowls of dried fruit. Sprinkle a small amount of crumble over the top of the fruit in each bowl.

Place your bowls in an oven heated to 180ºC/350ºF.

Bake them until the top is crisp, which takes between 15 and 20 minutes.